SISTER STUDY RESEARCH

Seasonal patterns in trace elements assessed in toenails

Some environmental exposures follow seasonal patterns, and failing to account for seasonal effects may introduce measurement error into studies that rely on biological samples to estimate exposure. Most Sister Study participants provided toenail samples when they enrolled in the study - these have been used to study metals and other elements. A detailed evaluation of element concentrations across the calendar year revealed that there were seasonal trends in toenail concentrations of iron, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, arsenic, molybdenum, cadmium, tin, and lead, all of which highest around mid-August. These results highlight the importance of accounting for season when using samples taken at a single time-point to estimate long-term exposure levels.

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Seasonal patterns in trace elements assessed in toenails

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